The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ilex plant, botanically known as Ilexxc3x97attenuata, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Foster""s Purple Gemxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Ilexxc3x97attenuata cultivar Foster #2, not patented. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Rock Spring, Ga. in July, 1998. The new cultivar was primarily selected on the basis of its reduced leaf size.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar in a controlled environment by semi-hardwood cuttings taken in Rock Spring, Ga., since July, 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Ilex are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Foster""s Purple Gem have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, humidity, water status and/or fertilizer rate and type without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Foster""s Purple Gemxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Foster""s Purple Gemxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading growth habit.
2. Short internodes and very freely branching habit, dense and bushy plant habit.
3. Purple-colored young stems.
4. Small dark green-colored leaves.
5. Very freely flowering habit.
Plants of the new Ilex are most similar to the parent cultivar, the cultivar Foster #2. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Rock Spring, Ga., plants of the new Ilex differ from plants of the cultivar Foster #2 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Ilex are more compact than plants of the cultivar Foster #2.
2. Plants of the new Ilex are more freely branching, have shorter internodes and are denser than plants of the cultivar Foster #2.
3. Plants of the new Ilex have darker colored stems than plants of the cultivar Foster #2.
4. Plants of the new Ilex have much smaller and darker green leaves with fewer marginal spines than plants of the cultivar Foster #2.
5. Plants of the new Ilex root slower than plants of the cultivar Foster #2.
6. Plants of the Ilex produce more flowers but fewer drupes than plants of the cultivar Foster #2.